The Games
by crimZonvampire
Summary: None of them wanted to kill. None of them wanted to die. But in the Hunger Games, there is no other option. Twelve districts, twenty four tributes. Only one will come out on top. Collaboration between theredreaper and crimZonvampire
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys looks who's not dead!**

**Aaanywho, this is a collaboration between myself ( u/3515341/crimZonvampire) and my friend _theredreaper_ ( u/3863235/theredreaper). You all should totally check her out, she's amazing~!**

**We're trying to put ourselves on a schedule so you should expect updates pretty quickly if that happens...**

**The first chapter is _theredreaper's._**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter One

_What the hell just happened?_

He wasn't doing anything wrong, he was just standing there. Just like everyone else in his district. Just standing there.

He slowly, shakily made his way up to the podium, up to the stage where the big _District Three_ sign made it hard to miss. Up to where his freckled face would be broadcasted everywhere, for everyone to see.

His eyes were wide and tired from lack of sleep the previous night, his worst nightmare had come true. These games were going to be especially hard, considering it was a Quarter Quell. Tributes of the same age, that meant harder competition.

_My name is Sollux Captor, and I have just been chosen for the Hunger Games._

Sollux stared down at his hands, he didn't want to see the sympathetic glances that were being cast in his direction, he didn't want to see everyone staring up at him. His dual-colored eyes and strange speech impediment always made people stare.

Why make them stare more?

His district partner was Aradia Megido. She wasn't too bad; she was kind of weird, but not a bad ally to possibly have.

Sollux was already calculating ways to win, deciding which strategy would be the best.

_Should I go for brute force? No, I'm not strong enough; I'll bet the District One tributes would team up with me though... But I work better alone. _He didn't need allies.

He didn't anyone to help him win. He was going to win. He was going to come back.

He was going to win the Hunger Games.

The train ride was smooth, like the big fields of grain they had in District Nine. It was light, all lit up, like the bright sun in District Nine. The food smelled nice, not like the lumpy, gray mush they got in District Nine.

_Stop comparing things to District Nine! _Jade scolded herself. _You won't be back for a while!_

"Are you okay Miss Harley?" Sufferer (well, that was his nickname), District Nine's mentor asked.

"Oh yes, just fine!" Jade forced a smile, "A bit nervous is all."

"I was in the same position as you once, I'm sure you'll do great." Sufferer comforted.

"Maybe." Jade took a bite from the food, the taste was surely the most delightful thing her mouth had ever encountered. The different flavors, the aroma, everything tied together to make a perfect combination!

"What the fuck?" Karkat gasped. "Why is this so amazing?"

Jade laughed, "It's Capitol food, silly!"

"I know that, fuckass!" Karkat snapped, Jade's peppy personality and positive attitude made him want to puke.

"You don't have to be sassy with me!" she snapped right back.

"Tributes, please! Stop fighting!" Sufferer scolded. "We don't need any enemies formed before we've even arrived at the Capitol!"

"Sorry…" they mumbled in sync.

"Let the tribute parade… Begin!" Doc Scratch, the president of Panem shouted.

The rainbow crowd cheered, the Hunger Games had begun.

"District One, Terezi Pyrope and Gamzee Makara!"

Head to toe in a red, scaly dress made out of sequins and a jacket to match. Some ridiculous sparkly dragon-type thing resting atop her head with a gog damn _cape _attached. Terezi Pyrope felt fucking fabulous. She had pointy red-lens glasses to finish off her outfit, her fabulous _red _outfit.

Her near-sightedness made it hard to catch the roses that were being thrown at her face.

But she did it, she caught one. A bright red one, she caught it right in her hand and pulled it close to her chest.

Gamzee Makara felt like he was floating. "Hey Terezi, this is one motherfucking miracle chariot." His dark purple suit shimmered with all the lights pointing at him, made the matching sequins dance light around them. "Miracles…" he whispered, waving his hand around in a morphine-induced daze.

District Two's chariot stormed out, the female tribute already yelling her head off.

"District Two, Vriska Serket and John Egbert!"

"Come on John! Cheer with me!" Vriska shouted, she raised her dark blue armored arms above her head and waved at everyone she saw.

"Hehehe, Vriska, you are so funny!" John mimicked her, his lighter blue armored arms too waving at everyone.

"These stupid hats are so stupid!" she yelled, her fake smiled stayed plastered on her face.

"I know!" John called back.

"District Three, Aradia Megido and Sollux Captor!"

"Thith is fucking thupid." Sollux whispered under his breath. His metallic-looking hat shot out a small bolt of electricity, the real stuff. Not some crappy fake shit, real electricity.

His stupid hat, his stupid shirt, his stupid pants. Stupid glitter. Who even used that much glitter on an outfit? Oh right.

"Come on Sollux, it's for the sponsors," Aradia droned through her teeth, she was smiling as wide as anatomically possible. "Just don't look stupid!"

Not like she was off any better, same stupid hat, same stupid shirt, but a form-fitting stupid skirt. And same _dumbass_ glitter.

"District Four! Feferi Peixes and Eridan Ampora!"

"Wwhy do wwe havve to do this?" Eridan spat through a very forced, very stiff smile.

"Because it's part of the games!" Feferi, unlike Eridan, was actually somewhat enjoying herself.

They were both in shimmery-dark purple fabric that hugged their curves. Netting was draped around them too, Feferi's like a shawl and Eridan's like a cape.

"I didn't wwant to be in the games." Eridan grumbled. He pushed his glasses higher up his nose and hunched his shoulders.

"Well then don't ruin them for me!" Feferi waved at the crowd. The big headpieces they had balanced on their heads were wobbling around, as if they were fish.

"District Five!" Doc Scratch's voice was drowned out by the crowd; the only name that was heard was Dave Strider.

Dave waved, coolly, calmly. He was much too cool to let the Capitol get to him. He was Dave Strider. He was fucking awesome.

He was decked out, broken record hat, red cape. Red, awesome, cool cape. Just like District One, but without the lame dragon. He was Dave Strider, and he _is _awesome.

"District Six," again, Doc Scratch was unheard through the crowd. There was a name though, Tavros Nitram.

Tavros smiled nervously, he was visibly shaking, his silver outfit made him sparkle.

_There sure are a lot of colors in the Capitol._ Tavros thought.

The crowd cheered, completely unaware of Tavros' nervous energy.

_They just want a good show, that's all they want._ _Maybe I'll make it home._

"District Seven, Kanaya Maryam and…" but again, Doc Scratch was muffled by the over-excited crowd.

Green. Green, green, green, Kanaya felt like a tree. A sexy tree. The dress she was wearing faded from brown to green as it ascended, and the collar was nonexistent. Well, Kanaya thought it was much too low for her taste.

Kanaya waved and smiled at the crowd, her skin was covered in a shimmery-something that made her almost glow.

"District Eight!" Doc Scratch shouted, "Rose Lalonde…" he was again drowned out by the crowd.

The sheer black fabric and matching makeup really made her stand out against the colorful crowd. Her pale skin shone in the dimming light, spotlights projected onto her and made it shine even more.

District Nine came out, dressed up in farmer getup. "District Nine, Jade Harley and Karkat Vantas!"

"I feel like a fucking hillbilly." Karkat grumbled.

"A what?" Jade yelled over the screaming crowd.

"A fucking hillbilly!" Karkat shoved his middle finger into her face, "you know what, never mind."

"Whatever you say!" Jade continued to ignore him.

District Ten came out, followed by Eleven.

"District Eleven, Nepeta Leijon and Equius Zahhak!"

"Oh Equius, I'm so nervous!" Nepeta squeaked, her flouncy blue dress quivering.

"Just relax." Equius gently patted her head with a slightly damp hand. _I require a towel._

"Thanks Equius, I'll try to." Nepeta squeezed his hand and held on tightly.

District Twelve came out and that was it.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming out to support this year's tributes! It has been an honor hosting the Games, yet again, and we are so happy you could make it. Happy Hunger Games!" Doc Scratch recited.

The crowd cheered loudly.


	2. Chapter 2

Heeey guys~!

… I meant to post this on Thursday *shame*... I'll go grow mushrooms in the closet now. Not my own closet though. (Ouran reference!)

Sooo this chapter is by me~ I hope you all enjoy this!

JAKE IF YOU READ THIS LET ME LOVE YOU YOU ARE THE SWEETEST GUY EVER!

Tavros shivered where he stood. Sure, it _was_ day two of training, so he did know a bit about the other tributes, and he could handle a sword but everyone else looked like they could kill with their eyes closed.  
Jade, in fact, could kill with her eyes closed. She had blindfolded herself and picked up a dart gun, thinking that if anyone came at her in the night or without her glasses she had better know how to defend herself. She raises her lips and blew, hitting all three targets directly in the middle.  
"Hey, how the fuck do you-"  
Startled, Jade whipped around and nearly hit her district partner with a blow dart. It got lodged into the wall inches away from Gamzee.  
Jade tore of her blindfold and hurriedly apologized. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"  
Gamzee gave her a lazy smile. "Don't worry about it bro," he said, resuming juggling the pins he had picked up.

Jade turned sheepishly to Karkat and flashed him an apologetic smile. "Sorry."

"The fuck?! Are you trying to kill me already?!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"Oh yeah, because apologizing is definitely going to make me forgive you for trying to fucking kill me with a blow dart to the jugular," he grumbled, rolling his eyes impatiently. "Now help me start this fucking fire already."

Jade bent down and eyed the fire, ignoring Karkat when he threw his hands up in frustration as Tavros started his fire with ease. She giggled, "You just give up too easily and get angry."

Terezi, on the other hand, was having the time of her life. She and the district two tribute, Vriska, had raced over to the sword station and had begun to spar with each other the second they were let loose. The trainers would have stopped them, but they were all in awe of how good they both were. And they looked like they were having so much fun. Terezi didn't know about Vriska, but she certainly was having fun. She was grinning like a maniac and laughing her head off. Vriska pushed her down and their swords clashed together, Terezi trying to shove her off and Vriska trying to pin her. "What's your name?" Vriska asked, pushing down harder.

Terezi grinned like mad. "Terezi Pyrope, District One."

"Vriska Serket, District Two."

Rose was over by the plant test, hitting the matching panels like a pro.

Kanaya just watched from afar for a little while but eventually she went over to her and let her green eyes rove over the screen. "I'm astounded someone from District Eight would be knowledgeable about the indigenous wildlife."

"I am as equally astonished that someone from District Seven would be knowledgeable about anything other than the native trees."

Kanaya smiled lightly. "Touché."

"Rose Lalonde."

"Kanaya Maryam."

John was struggling with making the fire as much as Karkat was. For some reason he always kept blowing it out. "Hey um…" he struggled, trying to remember her name. "Jade! Hey Jade, do you think you could show me how to do this?"

"Sure!" Jade said, leaving Karkat to tame the fire on his own and ignoring his protests about 'helping the enemy'. She knelt over by John, smiled, and had his fire going in a matter of minutes.

"How did you do that?" John said incredulously. "Are you some kind of witch or something?"

Jade laughed and gave him a teasing smile. "Maybe…" she said mysteriously.

Equius pulled back the bow and loaded another arrow, trying his best not to break _this _one. He was just about to release the arrow when a grinning juggalo slid underneath his legs, grabbed it from him, and turned it around so it was facing Equius. He laughed and made a move like he was going to let go. "Pew!" he said, laughing even harder at his own comedy.

Meanwhile, Equius's district partner, Nepeta, was throwing knives around like nobody's business. She hit every target dead center with almost cat-like agility.

Dave Strider picked up a sword and caught Tavros's eye. Or, at least, Tavros thought he was looking his way. It was hard to tell from his shades. _Who wears sunglasses indoors? _Tavros thought to himself. "I um... You better, uh, be ready for me," he said to Dave, more as an attempt to boost his own confidence then lower his partner's.

"Dude what? No. Don't even try to insult me in an ironic way."

Tavros took a step back and bummed into a very tall boy. "Calm down, leave the motherfucker alone bro."

Dave just raised an eyebrow at Gamzee. "Are you stoned?"

"If I was, why would you motherfucking ask me? I'm not gonna motherfucking tell you." He grinned and turned his attention back to Tavros. "What's your name bro?" he asked, ruffling Tavros's mohawk absentmindedly.

"Uh... T-Tavros," he stuttered, voice barely above a whisper.

"Tavbro!"

"Um, n-no, Tavros," he said a little louder.

"Nooope, it's Tavbro now motherfucker. I like you. You and me are gonna be motherfucking friends all right?"

Friends? When they were going to be sent into an arena to kill each other?! No, maybe allies, but he didn't know about friends. Still, he answered with an uneasy, "Sure, I-I guess..."

"Sweet! Motherfucking miracles Tavbro! I'll motherfucking let you get back to whatever you were motherfucking doing," he said, gesturing vaguely to Dave. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Karkat. "Sup motherfucking best friend?"

"Oh god, get the fuck away from me you crazy clown!"

Gamzee just laughed.

"Soooooooo I was thinking you, me, John, and your district partner could all be in an alliance together," Vriska said, stashing the swords away.

"Er, yeah," Terezi replied, thinking she would be fine with everyone in that alliance except for Gamzee. She didn't like him much. In fact she thought he could get to be a bit scary. That and the fact that she had never once seen him sober made him eerie enough. She didn't even want to KNOW about the clown makeup he always wore.

"Oh Joooooooohn!" Vriska called, summoning the boy away from his fire and over to them.

Gamzee walked right past Terezi, laughing at Karkat's insults like they were the funniest thing he'd ever heard and continued to juggle the pins. "Oh no you don't," Terezi muttered under her breath. She grabbed Gamzee by the arm and yanked him over to the other two members in their group. "We're in an alliance with them now," she said, trying to say as little as possible to him.

Tavros stepped over to their little group, shaking like he had when they had first called his name at the reaping. Wow Vriska was pretty. If he could only work up the nerve to ask her if he could join their alliance. Gamzee was there too, he seemed like a decent guy. And the other two were smiling, so they couldn't be that bad... Right?

"Hey, uh, Vriska, d-do you think I c-could join your alliance maybe?"

Vriska turned around and gave him a smile like poisoned honey. "Oh, I'm really sorry, but this alliance is for true competitors only. So, bye now-"

"Hey."

Vriska turned her attention back to Gamzee, slightly confused as to why he looked so angry.

"Leave him the motherfuck alone." He pushed right past her and grabbed Tavros's arm, smile returning slowly. "Come on Tavbro, I'll be in a motherfucking alliance with you."

"Um... OK."

Sollux pressed the two wires together and counted off in his head. Ten seconds. Now as long as nothing went wrong-

Goddammit.

"Watch out!" he yelped, reaching out to grab Feferi and pull her into his chest before the explosion went off. It wasn't huge, nothing that could destroy the building or anything, but it was still large enough to cause every head in the room to snap around.

Eridan shielded himself and once it had died down he ran over to the two of them. "Fef, are yo-"

"Are you all right?"

Feferi pulled away from Sollux and looked down to make sure she was unharmed. "Yeah, I think so. Are you OK?"

Sollux blinked, polychromatic eyes roving over the girl he had just protected. She certainly was pretty. "I'm fine-" he tried to say before his shoulder was hit by Eridan's hands and he was pushed to the ground.

"Wwhat the fuck?! Are you tryin to kill us all before this thing evven starts?!"

"It wath an acthident, dumbasth!"

"Oh sure, 'cause I definitely believve that-"

"Calm down Eridan it was my fault!" Feferi said, helping Sollux to his feet. "I tripped one of the wires and it caused the explosion, right?"

"Well, yeah but-"

"See?" she said, giving Eridan a look.

He looked from her, to Sollux, then back to her. He glared at Sollux and put an arm around Feferi's shoulder, steering her away. "Fine," he muttered under his breath.

Karkat came up behind Sollux's shoulder. "Smooth, fuckass."

"Thut up, KK," he snapped.

"Who are you calling KK?!"

"Sollux, what happened?" asked Aradia, ignoring Karkat's ongoing protests.

"Nothing, ith no big deal."

_"All tributes please go back to your assigned floors, thank you,"_ crackled the speakers.

Eridan shot Sollux one last scheming smile. "May the odds be evver in your favvor."


	3. Chapter 3

"Equius…" Nepeta purred, "I'm nervous."

"Me too." Equius grunted, he had really gotten to know Nepeta in the few days that they had spent together.

"What do you think the arena will be like?" she nervously bit her lip, thinking of all the possible situations.

"I don't know, it could be anything. Mountains, oceans, deserts, forests…" he sighed. "We'll just have to cross our fingers and hope we get lucky."

"Lucky?" Nepeta giggled. "Don't we always?"

"No, no not really."

"Equius, I really think that we can win," she smiled at him, "I really do.

"Everyone thinks they can win," he shrugged. "Keep hoping for the best and maybe we will."

"But we're not efurryone. We don't even know our own strengths!" she laughed, "I bet we could win if we tried!"

"It's time for bed Nepeta, we have a long day tomorrow." he helped her stand up and led her to her room. "Sleep well, and don't think about this too hard."

She was one of the only tributes that actually slept that night.

"What do you think the arena will be?" Aradia asked, she was curled up against Sollux in the frigid air of the rooftop.

"I don't know. It could be a big computer, it could be an ocean, a jungle, a dethert." Sollux shrugged, "It could be anything, really."

"I just hope that one of us makes it out okay." Aradia looked up at the tall boy, "How high are the odds?"

"That one of uth will win?"

"Yeah, you're all technical, tell me Mr. Brains!" she bit her lip, "I just want to know if I'll make it out alive."

"There would uthually be a twenty-four to one chanthe, but…"  
"But what? Why aren't the odds twenty-four?" Aradia's face paled a bit at the mention of lower odds.

"If you include the thponthorth, the experienthe, phythical abilitieth, and beth plathed on uth, our oddth are thome of the lowetht." He sighed, "I really don't think that we're that high on the winning thcale."

"Who do you think will win?" Aradia shivered, "based on those odds?"

"Who knowth." He shrugged, "I gueth we better try and thleep. Don't want to be dead the firtht day."

"All right."

_Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look—okay. Why did you look down?_ Karkat stood by the big open window, gazing down at the parade that was going on.

"Fucking parade." He spat at the people below him, from nine stories up it wouldn't make much of an impact.

"Karkat." Someone called from behind him, "I think you better head to bed soon."

"Fuck off." He snarled, "I don't care, I'm not tired."

"Think about tomorrow, how are you going to get any sleep if you can't even sleep the night before?"

"I know!" Karkat rolled his eyes, "I'm just not going to fucking sleep _ever._"

"You'll get exhausted and become an easier target."

"Who are you to tell me what to do with my life? Now fuck off, I know exactly what to do." Karkat furrowed his brow, he had no idea what his plan was.

Jade placed an unsteady hand on Karkat's shoulder, "I'm just a friend—sort of—who wants to make sure that our district wins. I swear, if district one wins I will come back just to kill them."

"Fuck you, Jade. I know what I'm doing, just go back to bed."

"Who said I was in bed?"

"Me, now go the fuck away, fuckass."

"Fuckass? Now you're just being rude. I'm _trying _to help." She sighed, "You're just being a stubborn douche."

She sat down next to him, the bright parade lights reflecting off her glasses.

"Sorry," he grumbled, "I can't help it, you know? I'm going to bed now, so again, fuck you, and goodnight."

"_All tributes, please report to the main hall, thank you,_" crackled the pre-programmed speakers.

Dave's palms were sweating, he had no idea where his district partner ran off to, but he didn't really care. He just wanted to get home, back to his older bro and younger brother, Cal.

"Let's go little dude." Mindfang, district five's mentor, said to Dave.

"I'm coming." He grabbed his broken record ring from the table, a gift from his bro.

"Now, once you get there you-"

"I know the plan; you drilled it into me so hard I can recite it while climbing a fucking tree then doing a shitty sword move on some lame kid's ass."

Mindfang laughed, "Wow Dave. You have a very interesting imagination."

"That's not even all of it."

"Well after you win you can tell me all about it. How does that sound?"

"Pretty fucking great if you ask me, and after I win can I-"

"Just win." She rolled her eyes, "Now go get on that hovercraft with the rest of the dumb kids."

"I'm going, I'm going. Jeeze." Dave cracked a smile, "Don't wait up."

Wholly _shit _was Dave nervous. He didn't seem to be the only one though, at least he didn't puke. Yeah, district four never seemed that strong anyway.

His palms were sweating even more than usual; they were quickly wiped on the thin fabric of his jumpsuit before entering.

"Ready for this?" District one called over to him.

"Sure…" He glanced skeptically over at the female tribute.

"So, handsome, think you can win?"

"Oh, I know I can win." Dave raised his eyebrow, "Think you'll make it?"

"I'll have to fight you for the trophy." She giggled.

"What's your name again?"

"Terezi Pyrope, district one."

"Dave Strider, district five." He sat in the seat opposite her, "Have a nice flight."

The hovercraft ride was _long,_ longer than Dave had ever sat.

Once it finally landed, each tribute was taken to their own special hold, ready to be lifted onto the platform.

"Please step on the platform once the countdown begins." The Capitol attendant said to him.

"All right." The timer began counting down from sixty.

"Please step on the platform. Remember, do not step off until the gong rings, if you step off before then your platform will explode and you along with it."

"Sounds fun." Dave wiped his hands on his outfit again.

"Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor." They called out as Dave began to ascend the sleek metal tube.

At first, all Dave saw was green. Then he saw the faint glimmer of the cornucopia right in the middle of a-

Oh hell no.

The arena was a fucking maze.


	4. Chapter 4

Oh look who finally got this done. ME. I DID.

Happy holidays, you all get another chapter. Yay.

I'm getting a new computer finally so my dad can't read what I'm writing over my shoulder! WHOOOOOO! *psyched*

By the way, I've got a youtube channel that I actually use! Same username, crimZonvampire. Mostly homestuck videos. You don't have to watch them, just in case you wanted to… I'm gonna leave this here…  user/crimzonvampire

This chapter is my fault. HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT AND THANK YOU FOR READING!

Eridan assessed the arena quickly. A maze. So as long as they made sure no one followed them, he and Fef would be safe. He glanced over at her (she was directly across the arena) and gave her the tiniest of nods.

She flashed him a miniscule smile in return and clenched her fists. There amongst the foods and the weapons was a glowing gold trident. She knew that she had gotten a ten from the gamemakers but they must have liked her enough that they had given her an advantage. Sure, there might have been no water in sight, but she had been wielding tridents ever since she was a child.

Sollux looked on, bewildered, at the grin cutting across Feferi's pretty face. She was so nice he had almost forgotten she was a deadly Career. And that she had gotten a ten from the gamemakers. But how could someone like her be a ruthless killer and one of the biggest threats in the games? _Calm down, Sollux, _he thought to himself. His polychromatic eyes swept the pile of weapons as though trying to pick out bombs in a minefield until he found it. Electrical wire! Thank god, now he might actually have a fighting chance. Now if he could only get his hands on it…

All of them jumped when Dirk Strider's voice came over the speakers loud and clear. "Ten.

"Nine.

"Eight."

Eridan's eyes swiveled across the arena again to see the confidence overflowing from Feferi. If only he could just protect her it would be worth it.

"Seven.

"Six.

"Five."

Tavros swallowed hard and glanced at Gamzee, finding little reassurance in his smile.

"Four.

"Three.

"Two."

Every single person in the arena held their breath.

"One."

They all took off toward the cornucopia, but Eridan and Feferi got there first. He grabbed a spear and she snatched up the golden trident. The boy from District Twelve got there next, he grabbed a knife and brought it down across Feferi's back. Her only reaction to him though, was to turn around and run him through with her trident.

Sollux felt sick to his stomach. Feferi turning around and stabbing the boy like it was nothing, Terezi getting another one a few feet away from him. He felt so sick he could barely heard the calls of his name, "Sollux! Sollux!"

He swiveled around just in time have Aradia's blood splatter onto his face.

A grinning Vriska emerged as Aradia's body hit the ground with a dull thud, her sights set on Sollux. She raised her weapon, grinning even broader at Sollux's terror-stricken expression and she was about to slice it in half when something pulled her away.

"Vriska!" John called, him and Terezi motioning for her to come away from Sollux.

She gave him one last you-got-lucky grin before running off to meet them.

Sollux took a moment to remember he was alive before getting shakily to his feet and continuing on towards the cornucopia. It took a while for his terrified mind to push the reason why he was still going toward it to the front of his brain. _The wire. I have to get the wire._

"Sollux!"

He didn't listen, thinking it was just his mind playing tricks.

"Sollux, what are you doing?! Get out of here!"

He looked up to see Feferi, covered in more blood then he was. His mouth moved wordlessly, trying to tell her that he had to have that wire, that it was his only hope. "The wire..."

Feferi glanced down by her ankles and noticed the roll of electrical wire. She picked it up and Sollux felt his heart sink. She really was a Carrer. She was going to take it. His last chance. That was what he thought anyway, until she handed it to him. "Here. Take it and go!"

He hesitated for a minute, then he grabbed her wrist and tugged her down to him. "Come with me."

"What?"

"Come with me. Grab thothe packth and we'll go."

She blinked once, but then grabbed the two backpacks and handed one to him. He took her hand and ran.

Eridan swerved around and saw Sollux making off with his District partner. "Fef-"  
"HONK!"

Thinking on his feet, Eridan threw the spear at the grinning juggalo, who instantly dodged it. He smiled again. "Missed me, motherfucker."

"Gamzee!"

Gamzee grabbed the pins, bow, and arrows he had come for and ran off to meet Tavros, not even noticing when Nepeta slipped between his legs and grabbed every knife she could get her hands on before dashing out to catch up with Equius.

"Honk!" shouted Gamzee, swinging right past her to get a bit of food when she threw the knife his way. He blocked it by having it tear through a loaf of bread instead of his cornea. He was about to shoot and arrow through her head when Equius swooped underneath him, grabbed Nepeta, scowled to himself at the fact that Gamzee had gotten the arrows and bow instead of him, and ran back toward an area of the maze no one had gone down yet.

"Equius, wait!"

He paused and got Nepeta down off his back. "What is it?"

"Look, over there. District three, she's still breathing."

He shot a glance over toward the body on the ground. Nepeta was right. The rise and fall of her chest was minimal, but still present.

"We have to help her, Equius."

His eyes narrowed. "Fine, Nepeta, stay up in the tree, I'll get her."

Nepeta scampered up the tree and Equius ran to Aradia's motionless body, trying his best not to hurt her when he scooped her up. He knew he had no idea what his strength could do.

Aradia's bright red wasn't the only blood that painted the maze. Back in the capitol, a particular gamemaker couldn't stop himself from smiling sly. "Let's play a game."

Sollux splashed water onto his face and swallowed at the blood that was washed away in the river. He had never been a fan of blood, but it hadn't ever made him ill. Then again, it got to him more when he was in the Games rather than watching them. "I thtill can't believe you didn't hear the thtream. I'm pretty thure if anyone elthe wath near uth they would have heard it."

"I've been around water my whole life," she countered. "It sounded natural to me. Hand me those will you?"

He plucked up a few plants and passed them to her, multicolored eyes squinting at the mixture she was making. "What'th that for?"

"Little recipe I learned back home for deeper cuts. Do you have any besides those two?" she asked, gesturing to his eyebrow and cheek.

"thoulder, but the retht are thmall."

She plopped down on her knees in front of him. "Come here."

Sollux inched closer to her and felt his face heating up. God she was pretty.

"Your eyes really are two different colors, huh?"

"What? Oh yeah," he muttered.

Feferi smeared the mix onto his shoulder and smiled. "I think that's pretty cool, y'know? It's something memorable."

"It'th a pain in the neck for me."

Feferi gave him a reproachful smile. "Don't be like that. I like them." She dipped her fingers back in the bowl and ran them over the gashes in his eyebrow and cheek.

"Here FF, let me get the cut on your back."

Feferi blinked, then she smiled, laid down on her stomach and handed him the mix. "Hm, FF," she repeated softly.

Sollux tugged her torn shirt up to her shoulders and began to slowly wash the dried blood away from the actual gash.

"Is it bad?"

"Er… Not really," he lied.

"Sollux."

He sighed, "All right, it'th pretty deep. You're OK with tharing a thleeping bag right? We only got one."

"Mmhm, that's fine," she said as Sollux smoothed out the remedy over her back. "We should probably get to sleep soon. We've been walking through this maze all day and we'll have to get more food tomorrow. Bedsides they'll probably announce who's left in a minute."

"Who do you think there ith?"

"Well, I got two of them and the last time I saw Eridan he had gotten two, so that's four."

"The girl from District One killed one and…" Sollux stopped and looked down at his hands. "And AA."

"You don't know for sure she's dead."

"I don't know for thure thhe's alive."

The cannon's went off, interrupting them. They both held perfectly still and counted slowly in their heads. Eight. That meant only sixteen of them were left.

"The bloodbath went on until now?" Sollux whispered incredulously under his breath.

Feferi put her chin on her hands. "I'm scared. I know that probably doesn't make sense, I mean, I killed two people, but… I don't want to die. I hate myself for saying this but I know I can kill. I'm just so terrified that I'm going to die."

Sollux was puzzled by that. "What do you mean?" he said, linking his hands in with hers from behind and lowering himself down so his chest pressed against her back, taking care not to touch the gash running across it. "Twenty –three of us have to die, why should you have to be one of them?"

Suddenly, the anthem of the Capitol started blasting all around them. Sollux got off of her back and slipped into the sleeping bag with Feferi, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. He swallowed when the hologram came up with the first person displayed on it.

District 5 female tribute.

Both of them let out sighs of relief. "They're OK," Feferi whispered, clinging to Sollux.

"Yeah…" _For now,_ he thought, pulling her closer to him. Her heartbeat. He could feel it against his own. As long as it kept beating strong and steady, everything would be all right.

_Everything is all right._

_ For now._


	5. Chapter 5

**OH MY GOODNESS I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE GONNA KILL ******** I KINDA SAW ******** COMING BUT WOOOAAAH  
Was my reaction after reading this. (I had to star their names out so you wouldn't know who I was talking about... Remembered last minute...)**

**Anyway, enjoy~**

The morning was crisp and clear, the bushes still wet from the dew that had accumulated over night. The hovercraft had collected all the bodies during the wee hours of the dark, and everyone had spread out as far as possible from the gruesome scene since then.

"Fuck!" Vriska shouted. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

John snickered, "I think you said that eight times."

"I know John," Vriska snarled. "It's kinda my thing."

"Hey, don't you snap at me!" John fake growled, "I wasn't the one who was too careless to keep from getting hurt!"

"Dude," Vriska stared at him like he was a small child. "Fuck you."

"I totally would but…" John began, sending Vriska a suggestive wink.

"You're such a creep." Vriska giggled, clutching at her bleeding arm.

"No, but seriously, we should probably stop and quell your bleeding, you're leaving a trail." John hesitated before adding, "Ha, quell! Like, Quarter Quell!"

Vriska plopped down on the ground and smacked John with her good arm. "Don't try to be Mr. Funny Dude when I'm bleeding to death."

"Relax Serket!" Terezi cackled. "It's really not that much blood!"

Vriska looked back at the dark trail she was leaving, "not that much blood my _ass_."

"What?" Terezi frowned. "It's getting dark, so it doesn't matter anyway."

"It's not dark yet Terezi, it just got light…" John's eyebrows drew together in a taught line.

"Huh?" She moved to sit next to Vriska, who was rifling through the packs they had retrieved.

"Yeah, Pyrope, take off those lame glasses and open your eyes." Vriska grinned triumphantly once she had found what she was looking for, medical supplies.

Terezi pulled the glasses up so that they rested on top of her head, still not seeing better than before.

"How bad is your eyesight?" John asked.

"Not too bad, I can still see you guys and throw my spear well enough." Terezi shrugged, "I guess it's not damaged that much."

"How did you even do that to yourself?" Vriska began, cleaning her wound with antiseptic wipes before wrapping it in a layer of gauze and securing it with a bandage.

"I don't know exactly…" Terezi tapped her chin. "I can't remember anything much, all I know is that I killed at least two and I probably got stabbed and punched and kicked. I also probably got this from all that fighting, but I can say that I don't know which tribute did this to me."

"You say that like it's a good thing!" Vriska let out a short bark of laughter.

"Huh." Terezi shrugged, "I guess it doesn't matter that much."

"We should assess our injuries before continuing!" John blurted, quickly biting his lip once he had said it. _Someone_ had to be the reasonable one.

As it ended up, they didn't have a lot of injuries. Vriska had a deep gash on her left arm, and someone had cut her just below the eyebrow. Terezi had somehow lost part of her eyesight, she couldn't quite remember, and had one leg that she could hardly walk on. John was fine for the most part, just a few cuts and bruises, but nothing to serious. After being bandaged up and deeming Terezi's spear a capable walking stick, they kept going, and going. And going.

"Okay, now it's getting dark." John gulped, glancing around at the orange sky nervously.

"Well, we need to stop anyways, we've been walking all dayand Miss Toughness over there looks like she's going to pass out."

"No!" Terezi protested, "I'm fine, really."

"Terezi, Vriska's right. We should just stop and sleep for a little." John shrugged, zipping up his jacket to keep out the sudden cold out.

"I'll keep watch." Terezi suggested, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

"Thanks Terezi!" John smiled, turning to Vriska. "We don't have any sleeping bags for god-knows-what-reason so I guess we'll just sleep on our stuff."

"Fuck you for not grabbing a sleeping bag!" Vriska scowled, already shivering in her thin outer layer.

"Here." John laid down and patted the ground next to him, "We can share body heat."

Vriska sighed before curling up next to him and resting her head on his arm.

"Wake us when you get sleepy, Pyrope." Vriska yawned, already starting to doze off.

John mumbled something in reply, already too far gone to care.

The Capitol's emblem blazed in the sky, showing no deaths for today. This Hunger Games was off to a slow start, and the gamemakers knew it. Terezi felt something in the air shift after it faded along with the light, and squinted her eyes to try and get a better view in the dark.

Something shifted behind her. "Who's there?"

Nothing.

Another shift, this time she stood up and went to examine it. "Huh? Stop hiding!" She had no idea what to say in this kind of situation.

After nothing came out, she went back and sat down at her post. Watching, waiting.

There was a rustle in front of her this time, and a low thud. Whoever it was, they weren't making much of an effort to be quiet.

There was a loud scream and a cannon fire in the distance, the loud noises making Terezi jump.

She squealed a little bit, blindly waving her spear out in front of her.

"W-who's there?" She breathed, trying hard to keep her voice from shaking. She would never admit it, but the dark might just have scared her a little bit.

She kept walking, her path lit up by the moon's faint glow. She stepped out of their little pathway, glancing nervously in both directions.

"H-hello?" She called.

She turned around quickly, catching her foot on something slick and almost falling flat on her face.

_Red. Why is it red?_ Terezi put a hand down to touch the liquid, bringing it up to her nose. _Blood, I knew it was blood, but whose?_

Her question was answered by a shock of white-blonde hair.

The Strider kid from District Five.

Wrapped up in blood coated vines with razor sharp thorns.

That could move.

And were quietly snaking their way towards her at an alarmingly fast speed.

She shrieked, bolting away as fast as she could.

"Vriska, John! Wake up, get up, run, run, run!" She didn't stop, even as her leg protested and she passed her bleary-eyed allies.

Vriska was immediately on her feet, no questions asked, grabbing her pack (also John's pack and sword) before booking it right after Terezi.

John was not so lucky. He scrambled to get up before being pulled back down by the demon plant.

"Vriska, Terezi!" He shouted, his big, blue eyes filled with sheer terror.

"Leave him!" Terezi screamed to Vriska. "He's not going to make it, even if we do try to save him!"

He gave a small gurgle and red dripped down his chin, the vines constricting tightly around his body before that, too, began to leak red.

Vriska gave John one last, fleeting glance before sprinting around the corner.

His scream rang out, to accompany the one from earlier, and another canon, then silence.

**Bottom note~**

**So, the vines devour people. They are evil. They are scary. They slowly consume you until you're just a skeleton and then use your blood for nutrients. I just turned all the lights in my house on. Whythefuckisitdarkitisonlysi x. This Hunger Games is going to be the best yet…**

**ALSO: Thank you for reading! I love all of you! uwu**

**-theredreaper**


	6. Chapter 6

** I-**

** I had a bunch of excuses as to why this chapter took me so long to finish but then I realized NOBODY CARES. AT ALL.**

** Anyway, I liked this one even though poor little Tav got hurt. Oh well, I guess all but one are gonna die eventually. MWAHAHAHA.**

** So yeah here you go enjoy the chapter.**

Aradia blinked slowly and all the pain of the past two days came rushing back to her in an instant. She cringed, almost wishing she could just go back to sleep. But that wasn't an option. In the Games, not knowing your surroundings was almost as bad as being wounded.

Great. Now she had two problems.

She opened her eyes warily to the bright glare of the sun and turned over, quick to take in her unknown surroundings when she nearly screamed.

The scream she had managed to keep trapped in her throat came out as a startled gasp and she prayed to god it didn't wake the man she was sleeping next to. He looked to be at least a foot and a half taller than her and twice as strong; he could probably snap her neck in an instant. Unfortunately, her praying hadn't done much good. The man was beginning to stir.

Equius inhaled deeply and pulled Aradia closer to him.

Aradia made a tiny squeak of protest and clamped a hand over her mouth. She was going to die. He was going to wake up and kill her.

Equius however, who had heard her, had no such plans. He awoke to the same sunlight that had woken Aradia and the corner of his mouth twitched. The cracks he had gotten in his sunglasses back at the corncopia were really starting to get on his nerves. "Nepeta," he said quietly, "you awake?"

No response aside from gentle breathing.

This time he turned the other way and mumbled, "Are you awake, Aradia?"

Aradia flinched but said nothing

"You were out for two days," he continued faintly without her response, sitting up and removing the arm that was latched around her waist. For the first time, Aradia got a glimpse at the other girl in the cave. She was curled up peacefully, like a cat almost. Equius reached put and petted her hair gently, careful not to hurt her. "Nepeta, wake up."

Nepeta shifted and yawned sleepily. "Equius," she groaned, rubbing her eyes and crawling into his lap. "I was sleeping."

Aradia's heart rate was beginning to slow. If they were going to kill her they would have done it by now. Equius at the very least could have killed her, and she had a feeling Nepeta wasn't as innocent as she seemed; after all she had survived the bloodbath unscathed. Both of them had received pretty good scores from the Gamemakers. But… There was something different about them. Most of the tributes hadn't even spared their district partner a second glance, but these two were about as close as they could get. Friends from District 11? No, Nepeta was at least a few years younger than Equius was so they wouldn't have been in school together very much. Neighbors? Maybe, but the protective air Equius had over Nepeta was stronger than just that of childhood friends. So that left…

"Siblings," Equius told her, seeing her quizzical expression. "Well, half-siblings anyway. Come on, Nepeta, wake up. We have to eat sometime."

Nepeta mewed like a cat and hoisted herself out of Equius's lap. She reached into her jacket pocket to pick out which knife she was going to use for the day, and found, to her dismay, that they had torn right through the fabric.

"Here," Equius said, draping his over-sized jacket around her shoulders. "Hide your knives in that."

"Did you break your bow again?" Nepeta said, eyeing the new, roughly carved, bow he had retrieved.

He nodded. "You hunt and trap what you can, I'll try and shoot something bigger. Aradia, do you think you can build us a fire?"

Aradia hesitated, but then she nodded once. On experimenting with her limited movement, she found that building a fire was about the only thing she could manage... Why would they save her? Her of all people? Sure, District 3 was crafty with technology, but there wasn't much Aradia could do in the games. She didn't know how to hunt or trap, she couldn't build weapons, and she doubted she could kill anyone even if she wanted to. That and she probably would have died from her injuries if she had just been left out there in the bloodbath. So why on earth..?

Tavros thought himself lucky to have a sword and was rather proud to have acquired one all on his own. He ignored the fact that his alliance partner Gamzee had managed to grab three strange looking pins, two knives, a bow plus a sheath of arrows, and he had collected enough food to last them a few days. Well, he was a Career after all. But Tavros had uh... He had found the river. That was something. Right? Oh well, it didn't matter now. They were probably the best off in the games. They hardly had a scratch on them and were thriving.

Tavros had been placed in charge of the honorable task of building a fire. Gamzee, hunting. He was pretty far along by now too, all of the firewood was in a neat little tower and smoking happily.

There was a rustle in the bushes nearby.

Tavros grinned. "Gamzee!" he called.

There was a pause, then came a low, "Wrong."

The color drained from Tavros's face. Quickly, he grabbed his sword and scrambled up one of the many bushes in the maze. He and Gamzee had chiseled out a path so they could see over the whole arena, but now it would be the wall that stood between him and his opponent.

The tribute emerged from the bushes. "Heeeeeeey there," Vriska trilled, as sweet as poisoned honey. She was a gruesome sight; She was holding her injured arm, cradling it to her body like a child. Her eye was just a mess of clotted blood and scaring. She was grinning broadly, but her smile was so pained that it came off as a grimace. "Did you miss me? Oh, what's the matter? Not so brave without your little protector are you baby?" She clambered the branches of the wall with ease, nails scraping against the wood.

Tavros thrust out his sword warily. If Vriska saw him shaking... "T-t-take one more step and I-I-I'll k-kill you."

Vriska raised an eyebrow and made an 'Oh really?' face. "You will? Even when you're t-t-trembling?" she mocked.

Tavros swallowed hard. He had seen enough of the games by now to know that you don't mess with a Career. With them it was either kill or be killed, and to be quite honest, Tavros really didn't feel like dying all that much. He pitched forward with the sword, aiming for Vriska's vulnerable left side. His plan failed miserably; Vriska fearlessly grabbed his sword with her good hand even though it cut her. Then she grinned. She would make quick work of him. She grabbed his wrist and twisted it so he couldn't escape her grasp and was leaning over the edge. Horrified, he realized what she was about to do just before she sliced both his legs with something he couldn't see. Tavros cried out as they buckled underneath him and sent him tumbling down to the hard ground below.

Vriska stepped back to admire her handiwork. Tavros was unconscious and there was blood pooling around his legs. She listened for a cannon, but never heard one. Oh well, he wouldn't last much longer anyways. She grinned evily and blew him a kiss. "Bye byeeeeeeee."

"Hey!"

Equius wheeled around, loaded and arrow into his newly carved bow, and would have cringed at the cracking sound it had made if he wasn't so occupied by the Carrer in front of him.

Gamzee sliced another branch off the tree so he could get through. "Wait, don't shoot!" he said urgently, putting his hands up in surrender.

Equius didn't lower his weapon, but instead flicked his eyes over the lanky boy. He was as pale as a ghost and by the way he was gasping for breath he had run all the way to Equius. Now _that _was bizarre. Why would he come to him?

Gamzee, realizing he wasn't going to be shot (yet) lowered his arms and panted, "You're Eleven, right? You're the motherfucker who's good with medical stuff aren't you?"

Equius's grip on the arrow in his hands tightened.

"I know you are, you're the one who saved Three. She's can't be dead, there was no motherfucking cannon, so you must have done something to save her right?" Gamzee swallowed nervously. "That other girl too, the one that's related to you, you took care of her?"

Equius aimed the arrow for Gamzee's heart.

"Wait, wait, just motherfuckin' hear me out! Look, you know the kid from Six right? The one with the mohawk? He's hurt, bad." Gamzee was starting to panic now; his breath came in sharp gasps and a sweat was breaking out over his forehead. "His supporters sent me some sort of motherfucking medical shit but I don't know how the motherfuck to use any of it. I-I don't know for sure if you can help him, but you've gotta know more than I do, I mean-" Gamzee swallowed hard.

Equius dark eyes narrowed. "Why should I?"

A deranged smile flicked at the corner of Gamzee's thin mouth. Slowly, carefully, he lowered the silver bow and matching arrows from his left shoulder and held them out for Equius to see. "The other ones keep breaking don't they? Like back in the training room?"

The makeshift bow cracked a bit more as if to prove Gamzee's point. His eyes glinted with slight madness. "I'm give them to you, bow, arrows, everything! They won't break when you use them! I promise just- help him please!"

After the longest pause of his life, Equius lowered the bow to his side. He might not shoot him, but there was no way he was going to go with the Career.

Gamzee must have realized this too, because he laughed hollowly and nearly screamed, "You don't believe me?! Here, take it!"

Equius caught the sheath of arrows midair and ran his fingers over the tips. They were smooth like silk, but, he found as he tested them, virtually unbreakable. Yes. This was what he needed. Unconciously, his eyes flinted down to the silver bow still clenched tightly in Gamzee's fist. When he saw Gamzee had noticed, he scowled and muttered a heated, "Fiddlesticks," under his breath.

"After you help him."

Equius hesitated, weighing his options. On one hand, he could go with the Carrer and help the boy. On the other, he could just take the arrows and run now. OK, scratch that. Another look at Gamzee and he saw the familiar glint of a knife at his belt. He had a feeling that even if he gave back the arrows and left the tribute to die, Gamzee probably wouldn't have much mercy for him. "Fine," he growled, "take me to the boy and I'll see what I can do. I'm not making any promises that I'll be able to save him-"

Gamzee shook his head, tense muscles relaxing slightly. "Doesn't matter. As long as you can do something-" he cut himself off, gesturing to have Equius follow him.

Equius made sure to keep a few paces behind the boy. He doubted he could get away from him even if he wanted to; Gamzee seemed to have though of that and kept his and firmly on his knife. But he couldn't leave now. The Carrer knew where Aradia and Nepeta were. Nepeta might have a chance if Gamzee came after her but... Aradia would be dead in an instant

"He's in here," Gamzee said quickly, snapping Equius out of his thoughts. Through his sunglasses, Equius's dark eyes swept over the area. Strange. In where? He didn't see anything but a willow tree. So he almost jumped when Gamzee swept back a certain few vines and disappeared inside. Equius followed and was shocked by what he saw.

Tavros was unconscious, breathing shallowly, and his legs were an absolute mess. Whatever had gotten him (another tribute, by the looks of it) had shown no mercy. The white of his bone was visble beneath the blood and muscle that had been stripped away. Then Equius noticed the parachute with medical supplies wrapped inside of it. There wasn't much; a few basic medicines, some bandages, the supplies he needed to stick up the thread. "... You all right?"

Gamzee had his hand to his head and was breathing heavily. "Don't worry 'bout me. Help Tav."

"But-"

"Motherfuck, I'm fine!" he screamed, but then he fell back against the tree again. "It's... The drugs are wearing off. That's all."

So he was a addict. Equius guessed that the camera's couldn't see them right now. Either that or the Career didn't care. Probably the latter. Equius glanced away, maybe a bit nervously, and tended to Tavros instead. It wasn't easy. Equius had to stitch up the wounds in each of his legs with a meticulous hand. One wrong move and he could either permanently disable the boy or he could crush his leg completely with that strength of his. He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. "How did you know where Aradia and Nepeta were, Career?" he inquired softly.

Gamzee pulled his head out of his lap and grinned painfully. "I didn't," he said, leaning back against the tree again. The tips of his bangs were damp with sweat and he seemed to be getting paler. "I had one shot to get you to come help me. Figured you're not the kind of motherfucker who leaves another motherfucker behind. You're sis being with you, that was just a guess, but I was assuming that District Three motherfucker was with you. If she wasn't it would be a motherfuckin' miracle that she was still alive. I got lucky I guess."

Equius's eyes dropped back down again to his work, but still they drifted back to Gamzee after a while. "Can the camera's reach us in here."

He shook his head. "Nah, all they can see is the tree and as long as we speak quietly enough they won't hear us."

Equius rethought what he was going to say, but still said it anyway, "You're an addict right? I know you wouldn't be doing good after getting nothing for a while, but you shouldn't be acting like this."

The Career's eyes went dark and his voice dropped an octave. "I don't motherfucking take them just to get high, you know. They're just my alternative."

Equius froze. Alternative? "Alternative to... What?" he whispered.

Either Gamzee didn't hear him or he didn't feel like replying. "How's Tav?"

Equius shot a look back down at the boy. Well, he certainly didn't look good, but he didn't look as bad as before. "He should be all right, just change the bandages every so often."

Equius stood and his eyes shot down to the bow still clenched tightly in Gamzee's hand. Then, a bit to his surprise, he saw that bow being handed out to him. "Take it. Thanks for helping Tavbro." Gamzee said, managing an easygoing grin.

Equius gave him a quick nod and took the bow. That was just sort of... It. There was no goodbye needed to be said or anything. Equius did glance back once, but all he saw was Gamzee pushing the hair off Tavros's forehead.

On his walk back to the cave he decided to test out the bow. He was supposed to be hunting after all and it probably wouldn't look good if he came back empty handed. He loaded an arrow into the bowstring, loving the feeling of it being stretched instead of breaking between his fingers. Then he aimed it, waiting for even the slightest sound to come. When it did, it echoed from his right. Swiveling around and releasing the arrow, Equius heard his target hit the ground and went to retrieve it. When he pushed back the foliage near his prey, the corners of his mouth turned upward. They would be eating good tonight.

"Hey Aradia, Nepeta," Equius called. He clambered back into the cave, his kill slung over one shoulder, and he was grinning broadly. "Would either of you be interested in venison tonight?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Oh my gosh guys! I'm so sorry this took so long. I had a big English project due and a fake baby and so many things were happening. BUT now it's done so please enjoyyy~**

Chapter 7

Darkness.

That's all Dave Strider knew, just…darkness.

_Why am I not dead yet?_

He felt like shit. His head was spinning, his entire body felt like it was made of stone, and he was… _Alive_.

Then again, he was alive.

Oh shit.

"Who is there?" He bolted upright, grabbing for the weapon he didn't have.

"David Strider?" An elegant, dangerous looking girl said.

"Yeah." He gulped, "Uh… Hey."

"Hello David, you can stop shaking now. I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled, "I saved you."

"Why?" He blurted, "I mean, it's a competition and if you want to win you're not going to be able to do it with me by your side. I'm a total loser, did you see me back there? I couldn't even save myself what use would I be to you?" He rambled.

"Sh…" She put her finger to her lips, "The others will hear you. My name is Kanaya, I am from District Seven."

"Why?" He whispered more quietly.

"Because Rose is dead," She shrugged. "You remind me of her."

"Rose is dead?"

"The intelligent blonde one, she wanted to make an alliance with you."

"But she's dead."

"I could not save her, so I saved you." Kanaya stated.

"But she's dead."

"Thank you, David. I think we have established that multiple times now." Kanaya sighed, "I do hope your mental state is only temporary."

"Why me?" He asked.

"Why not? You're an exceptional fighter with very good technique, and one of the best people to have on your side."

"What if I killed you?" He argued, "I could kill you right now with my bare hands."

"Yes, but what good would that be? You can hardly sit up, how do you expect to walk without an ally?"

"I don't know. Maybe, uh, with my legs?" He sassed.

"Oh David, your humor is grand. Please, try to run when you cannot stand. Trust me, it isn't a very pretty sight." She sighed, "Though I would advise against it. It would be a tragedy to lose another tribute so early. And you're such a nice boy."

"What happened to Rose?" Dave asked, "How did she die?"

"I don't know." Kanaya mumbled. "She just did."

"Did you see her?"

"No, we were split up by the bushes. I was hoping the cannon was for someone else, but it was for her."

"How do you know it was for her?"

"I saw her in the sky. You've been out for a while now."

"Oh." Dave trailed off. _Why me?_

"God damn it, Harley. Why was this a good idea?" Karkat hissed.

"I don't know, I just thought it would be better than running around for days." Jade shrugged.

"I don't like this area, it's fucking weird." Karkat shivered, "And it's cold as hell. Where even are we?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know a lot of things." Karkat snapped, "Just give me an approximation."

"Alright, Mr. Bossy, if you want to know where we're going then _you_ figure it out!" Jade wailed. "I'm done putting up with your shit!"

"Oh yeah, well maybe I'm done with this alliance!" Karkat roared.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Then go!" Jade screamed, "I don't need you."

"David, sorry to disturb your slumber, but listen." Kanaya prodded Dave's shoulder, forcing him to wake up.

"What?"

"Sh…" She stood up and grasped her weapons in her hand.

"What is it?" He whispered.

"Sh!" She insisted, "I'm listening."

Snap.

"Was that-"

Kanaya urgently put a finger to her lips.

Dave stayed silent after that.

"…damn stupid boy… I don't need him. He's just a big fuckass. Who even needs allies? I can take care of myself." Someone grumbled. The grumble was getting increasingly louder.

"David, can you stand?" Kanaya breathed, tiptoeing over to Dave.

He shrugged.

"Here." She offered her hand, and helped up up, propping him against her side.

Jade turned the corner and immediately stopped grumbling and froze.

Both parties looked like deer in the headlights.

"No!" Dave burst out, pushing himself away from Kanaya.

Jade shrieked, ripping out a slingshot from her bag.

"Don't shoot!" Dave yelled where he had fallen on the ground, "Please!"

"What do you expect me to do?" She shakily put a sturdy rock into her slingshot.

"Don't do that." He said.

"I must win." She bellowed, launching the rock at Dave.

"Run, Kanaya!" Dave boomed, rolling away from where she had shot the stone.

"But Dav-" Kanaya hesitated between lunging for Dave and running as fast as she could out of there.

"Now!" He screamed, "I can't win. I'm so sorry, I can't kill people." He turned to Kanaya, "Do this for me, please."

"Goodbye Dave!" Kanaya grabbed her things from where they were on the ground and quickly avoided Jade's shot.

She was too far away to hear his reply, that or he was already dead.

"Dave Strider." Jade hissed, "Why won't you fight back?"

"Because I've already lost everything," He murmured. "Please, just kill me. I've got nothing to lose."

"I can't kill you!" She screamed, "Not if you can't even stand to fight me!"

"I wouldn't fight you, even if I could stand." He glanced down at his torn up body, the injuries from the vines starting to bleed again as his heart pounded.

"So valiant." She smiled. "But I'm not going to fight you if you're not going to fight."

"Please!" Dave begged, "I don't want to play this game anymore!"

"Neither do I Dave." She sniffed, "But I can't kill you!"

"Yes you can, do it for your family."

She pulled out a knife and looked down at him. "I don't have a family, I'm alone."

She slit his neck, and left him to die.

This time, he did.


	8. Chapter 8

**WOW I'M EXHAUSTED HAHAHA**

**I'M ON VACATION IN CALIFORNIA RIGHT NOW AND I HAVE GOTTEN NO SLEEP WHATSOEVER**

***throws excuses at you* sorry this is so late. I have a bunch of reasons but nobody wants to hear them so here ya go, have some Karkat**

**HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY KITKAT BBY**

Karkat Vantas knew his actions were going to come back to bite him in the ass, and he had been right, because the hands currently around his neck were choking the last bit of air from his throat.

Oh yeah, definitely biting him in the ass now.

The girl had been simple enough to follow. After all, Karkat _was_ from District Eleven. Climbing tree's came pretty naturally. Climbing the walls of a maze were hardly any different. He and Jade had managed to map out the entire arena from above, and they had a general idea of where everyone was. That was, until him and Jade split up and tore the map in half like in those stories his dad always used to tell him. He had half, she had half, but half wasn't going to be enough to win the Games.

He pushed their silly fight from his mind and went back to charting the rest of the map, keeping his ears peeled for suspicious sounds. The first time they had charted it, it had been during the bloodbath, while everyone was distracted at the cornucopia. Now, out in the open in broad daylight, he was practically a sitting duck.

"OW – shit!"

Karkat ducked down into the hedge before actually checking out who had muttered the curse.

It was the Career girl. Her bright right red glasses reflected the blood from her shredded knuckles. Which district was she? One? Two? Her light skin, small muscles, and fashion taste suggested One, so Karkat went with that.

Then he realized the curse wasn't aimed at her hand, it was directed toward the paper she was clutching. The rushed way she was trying to wipe the blood off before it soaked in implied that there was something important on it.

She muttered another curse under her breath before snatching the paper up again, taking a sharp turn to the right.

_The stream, _Karkat thought. _She's going to try and clean it in the stream._

Now he was left with two options; fight or flight. She probably had some good stuff with her by the looks of her bulging backpack, and Karkat's stomach was practically screaming for the food she was sure to have. Then again, his mouth instantly stopped watering at the array of weapons hiding at her belt.

So, he decided to fuck human instinct and choose the third option instead; follow.

He scaled the hedge once more, picking up a few new scratches along the way, and climbed as quietly as possible after her.

He had been right, she was kneeling at the stream, carefully scrubbing at the torn piece of paper.

A paper that looked suspiciously like half a map.

OK, scratch that, that _was _his other half! She must have managed to swipe it from Jade. But... How? There had been no cannon, no picture in the sky. She was probably dying at the bottom of a hill somewhere. Or the girl was just more crafty then he first thought.

Either way, there was no chance of taking it from her. Enemy that she was, she still might give him a chance if her showed her the map. Might kill him too. There was a high probability of him dying. Man, he was going to kick himself later if he got himself killed.

He leapt from the shrubbery, planning to land on his hands and feet like a cat. Unfortunately, he put all of his weight to one side and ended up toppling into the grass the moment his feet hit the ground.

Terezi heard a dull thud and swiveled around.

Karkat glowered at the dirt, he was really starting to regret his choices now, and managed to give the same expression to the Career that had noticed his predicament.

Fuck.

Almost instantly, he could feel his breath being choked out of his throat. He gasped for air and clawed at the small, yet surprisingly strong, hands, drawing more blood than was already there. He was panicking. Air. He needed air. He needed to breathe. He needed oxygen. He was going to die. Right here. Here was his deathbed. _Unless he showed her the map._

Somehow, his oxygen-less brain managed to focus his scrambling hand to the rolled up paper in his belt loop and he shoved it urgently under her nose.

Terezi, obviously, was surprised when the other half of the map she had swiped was thrust into her face. So surprised in fact, she dropped the tribute to the ground and let him choke on his own gasps for a moment while she analyzed the situation. _He_ had the other half? This scrawny little kid? His district partner had at least seemed like a bit of a fighter, but she was half sure she could snap this angry little munchkin's neck with one move.

Karkat's surprisingly loud voice spluttered back into use, "Don't k-kill me," he coughed, "and I'll let you use the other half."

Terezi's eyes flicked up behind her red glasses and she grabbed his shirt collar, twisting it to strangle him again. "Or I could just kill you and take the other half. Myse-" she bit her tongue and glared at him when his hand went over the water.

"Pull any tighter and I drop it," he warned.

Terezi looked back at him, then slowly her lips tilted upward and she cackled like a hyena, dropping him to the ground. "I like ya, kid. You got some fight."

Karkat gulped down as much air as he could and scowled at her.

"Terezi."

"What?"

"_My name is Terezi!" _she shouted obnoxiously loud. "And aren't you Kitkat or something like that?"

"Karkat," he growled.

"Well then, welcome to the team, Karkles!"

"Who are you calling Karkles?! I could kill you, you know-"

"Try it," she dared, pinning him to the ground with the blunt end of her spear. "Partners?"

"Isn't it a little soon to be friendly companions?" he sneered.

"Who said anything about friendly?"

Karkat hesitated, then he grudgingly smiled. "_Fine. _Partners. But tell me how you got the map from Jade."

She grinned like a fox again. "Swiped it from your little friend, huh? Well, ever heard of narcolepsy?"

"Nark-a-what?"

"Narcolepsy, it's where you fall asleep at the most inopportune times, Karkles. She's got it. Saw her fall down in the middle of nowhere, asleep, right after the sun had gone up. So I did her a favor, dragged her somewhere she wouldn't be seen and I just... Took a couple of things in exchange for sparing her life."

"And where is she now?"

Terezi flashed him another wolfish grin. "Probably dying at the bottom of a hill somewhere."

Jade blinked in the half-light drizzling in from the spaces in the bush she was shaded by and groaned aloud. Out of all the times her narcolepsy could have... Suddenly, she was up on her feet and patting down her pockets. Her stuff, it was all gone! Someone had pick-pocketed her in her sleep. She groaned again, and stamped her feet in a mini-fit of frustration, slumping to the ground with her knees tucked into her chest and her head buried in her arms.

Something rustled the wall of the maze next to her.

She pulled her head out of her arms weakly. How was she supposed to fight the tribute now? The pickpocket had even taken her slingshot.

But the thing wasn't a tribute. By the looks of it, it wasn't even anything close to human. The figure of the huge black creature towered over her, Jade's wide eyes filled with horror in an instant.

She barely had time to scream.


	9. Chapter 9

**Here is chapter nine… One of which took way too long to write. I've been busy… Anyway, here it is! Please enjoy~ Favorites, follows, and reviews are welcome, so don't feel shy to ask questions or give feedback on the story.**

Chapter 9

"Fuckin' losers," Eridan grumbled. "Oh _shore_ Eridan, I'd _love _to be in an alliance with _you_!" he imitated in a high-pitched voice.

He rolled his eyes, hefting his spear over his shoulder so it would sit more comfortably.

"Wwoww, Fef! I'd lovve to!" He fake smiled, "No point at all to make any other alliances, because you're the only fuckin' one I need! Also, why don't wwe just hold hands and kiss wwhile wwe're at it?"

He spit at the ground, "Dumbass me. Wwhy the hell wwould a girl like her evven look at me twwice? Wwhat wwas I thinkin'? I wwas bein' stupid an' selfish and-and… A big fuckin' loser."

_Boom._

"Oh my fuck-" Eridan squealed loudly, jumping into the nearest bush and burrowing himself so he wouldn't be seen.

When he figured it was safe enough to expose himself, he crawled out of the bushes, surveying the sky.

"Fuckin' tributes." He muttered, brushing the dead leaves off of himself. "I hate this fuckin' game and I hate evveryone in it."

Eridan ended up tromping through the maze at random. He didn't care if he got lost, as there was nowhere he needed to be, and he didn't care where he went. There were no cannons the rest of the day, and Eridan really didn't care.

Yes okay, we've established that Eridan Ampora does not give two flying fucks about the on goings of the games, now get on with the plot!

What? Stop babbling to yourself you dumb narrator? Don't tell me what to do you fucktard, I can do what I want. Remember, I am the god of this story. You know what, fuck you. It's the end of the day and Eridan Ampora just laid down his pack to rest.

"Wwoww, it's amazin' howw mind numbin' and tirin' wwalkin' around all day is." Eridan said to himself. "And howw I managed to evade any and all tributes is a miracle feat wwoww. Just-wwoww."

The Capitol emblem blazed in the sky, blasting the ridiculous horns that declared its appearance.

The first one that flashed was the District Five kid, the one with the blonde hair. Another was Nine's girl. Eridan remembered her having been good with a blow dart.

"Oh wwell." He sighed. "Maybe tomorroww wwill be more eventful."

"Equius!"

"Nepeta!" Equius bolted upright, eyes sweeping across the spot where he and his allies had taken refuge. "Nepeta, what is happening? Answer me now!"

"Equius, she's gone!" Nepeta squealed, scampering around the site. "She was here last night, and now she's gone!"

"What? Who's gone? Nepeta, please calm yourself and tell me what is happening!" Equius boomed, effectively stopping Nepeta in her tracks.

"Well… I was just trying to get some food, beclaws I'm hungry, and I meowticed that Aradia is hissing!"

"Hissing?"  
"Oh furr the love-she's _missing_, Equius!" Nepeta whined. "I don't know where she could have gone! I meown, aftfurr all we've done furr her!"

"Calm down, please Nepeta, she's has no obligation to stay sh—"

"Shut the furrick up, Equius, I am still speaking!" Nepeta shrieked.

"Nepeta!"

"We saved her gosh darned hide, and the least she could do was repurr us!"

"Nepet—"

"I meown, who even does that sort of thing? She didn't even say goodbye!"

"Nepeta!" Equius hissed. "Stop yelling so loudly, you are going to alert others of our presence! As it is, we should move anyway. With Aradia gone and your loud outburst, who knows what's after us now."

Nepeta clapped her hands over her meowth. "Oh meow gosh!" She whispurred, "I'm so sorry!"

"Pack your things, we're going." Equius sighed. "Say goodbye to our temporary home."

"Another day successfully wwasted." Eridan groaned, plopping down on the hard ground of the maze. "Might as wwell get some shut eye."

He was woken by a cannon.

"Wwho's there?" Eridan hissed, holding his spear out in front of him.

No one.

"Okay, Eri… Just keep calm. You're the only one out here…" His voice quieted until it was hardly a breath.

Or maybe he wasn't the only one out there, the cannon did just fire. He didn't care, as long as it wasn't him and ohmycodwasthatahand it totally was. It totally was a hand and Eridan was not going to panic.

He carefully stepped towards the corner, hoping it was still attached to its owner and not just lying there. Who was he kidding; he'd seen plenty of severed limbs it didn't even matter. It _was_ a giant death match nicknamed the Hunger Games to sound less threatening. Or more threatening… Nah, because the Hunger Games sounds a lot more friendly than Arena Full Of Kids All Trying To Murder Each Other Violently So One Sole Victor Can Come Out On Top.

Eridan rounded the corner, barring his spear in case the tribute was still alive.

So _that_ was the girl who set of the cannon. She looked really dead, but _why?_

She had fallen at an unnatural angle, her limbs strewn about like someone had thrown her down. And yet… There were no fresh blade marks, no bruises, and no blood other than the dried stuff on her jacket that was far too old to have been recent enough for the cannon. Her hair was slightly frazzled, too.

Eridan examined her for a while before realizing that the attacker might still be near, he leaped back, holding his spear out in front of him again.

Leaping back, Eridan saw a flash of light from above where the girl had been found.

"Wwhat the…" He muttered, stepping closer.

A wire? What was that doing in the middle of the path? The thin thread was stretched right across the trail. It was positioned at chest length, just high enough to hit, but still low enough to go unnoticed if one was paying more attention to _people _and not booby traps.

_Damn it._ Eridan thought. _It was probably that District Three boy. But… Why would he kill his own partner?_

Eridan ducked below the wire, wondering just how he was going to find the boy and murder him for stealing _his _partner.

Now hold up a motherfucking second there, Mr. Ampora. You're going to get yourself killed if you keep being careless like that! Look out for more wires.

"Wwho said that?" Eridan hissed, stopping in his tracks.

Whatever it was, and it certainly was not the narrator breaking the fourth wall yet again, he decided to call it his conscience and just ignore it. After all, who would be dumb enough to fall for that?

"…thomeone tripped it!"

Eridan stopped in his tracks.

"They did?" A familiar voice squeaked. "But you said no one was going to come through here!"

"Well I obviouthly failed to predict the correct outcome."

_Fef._

"Oh! Well, the cannon said it worked, should we go see who it is?"

"We don't even know if it wath our electric trap that got thomeone! It could have jutht been that angry clown."

"But Sollux! We should go check, just in case!"

"Okay…"  
_So it was the betrayer and her new ally. We'll just see about that._

Eridan held his spear out in front of him, preparing for when Sollux and Feferi were going to appear through the bushes.

Feferi stepped out first, in prime positioning for a spear to the chest.

Eridan threw the death stick, Feferi screamed, Sollux jumped in front.

"Wwhat the fuck?" Eridan shrieked, "That wwas for the fuckin' betrayer, not your scrawwny ass!"

"Fef…" Sollux mumbled, "FF…"

"Sol-Sollux?" Feferi stuttered, dropping to her knees in front of him. She pushed his hair back from his quickly paling face. "No… No, you can't die. We haven't won yet!"

"Win without me." Sollux coughed, curling into himself and the spear around his middle. "Now kill thith douche."

Feferi shook her head, "I can't win without you!"

"Bye…" Sollux breathed, "I'm thorry."

Sollux shut his eyes and curled tighter around himself, there was no cannon, but Feferi was expecting one soon.

"What the glub, Eridan?" Feferi screamed, her eyes filled with tears, "Why did you kill Sollux? You knew he was my _ally_! You could have been with us, too!"

"Because he's fuckin' scum, an' I hate him. Also, it wwas an act of heroism, that wwas actually meant for you because you're a fuckin' betrayer and one more thing… I hate you and there's no wway wwe wwould havve been in an alliance after wwhat you did."

Feferi gaped at him, "What?" She quivered, her voice trembling.

"I'm goin' to kill you noww." Eridan pulled out a knife from his belt. "I'll tell your mum sorry wwhen I get back from my Vvictory Tour."

"What? N-no, you can't do this!" Feferi jumped up and fumbled at her belt for her trident, glancing from Eridan to the knife in his hands and back. "You can't kill me Eridan, please! Please!"

"Wwhy the hell not? You wweren't goin' to help me anywway. I just havve one less wwhiney bitch to deal with wwhen you're gone."

"No, please Eridan! We can win this together, we can go home together!" Feferi begged, her voice wavering and trembling.

Eridan paused, "Wwe wwere nevver goin' to be able to go home together."

"No, no, please! Please don't kill me! I don't want to die, please!" Feferi begged him,

_Boom_.

"That's the second cannon today, I think that one's for your lovver boy ovver there. And his district partner is dead too. You fried her with your electric trap or wwhatevver that wwas."

Feferi's eyes glistened with tears as she held up her trident that she somehow managed to get free.

"Like you could stab me wwith that, after all, wwe're still best childhood friends. I can't believve you left me for some techno-douche."

"I left you because he seemed like a better option!"

"Yeah? Wwell you're out of options now." He grabbed the trident out of her weak grip and thrust it under her nose.

"Eridan?" She looked up at him, eyes wide and filled with fear.

"You should havve thought about the consequences before you double crossed me."

"Eri—" He pushed the trident into her chest, effectively cutting off the desperate sound of his name.

"Howw strange, I nevver wwould havve thought that I wwould be the one to kill you." Eridan muttered.

"P-please…" Feferi drew a ragged breath, falling to her knees.

"Too late." He withdrew the trident before stabbing her again.

"Stop…" She gurgled, dropping to her hands and slumping onto the ground.

He stabbed her again. "This is wwhat you deservve." He almost felt a pang of regret, that maybe they could have won together. Maybe they could have gone back and been happy. He scoffed, pushing away the thought before it manifested into something bigger.

Dark red blood leaked onto the ground, he turned away before he could see it pool around her. He didn't want to see it ooze out of her chest. He didn't want to see it leak from her mouth. He didn't want to go back without her.

Eridan waited until Feferi's cannon sounded, picked up his belongings (and the fallen tribute's) before heading out of the scene for the bodies to be collected.

He ended up leaving anyway; she was far too gone for him to regret anything, now.


End file.
